Arab Film Studio

Arab Film Studio is home to the region’s aspiring filmmakers, giving them the guidance, skills and support to bring their dreams to the big screen.
AFS is raising the profile of the UAE’s rapidly developing film industry, positioning Abu Dhabi as a creative hub for the region, and helping the next generation of filmmakers to get behind the camera and tell their stories.
AFS NARRATIVE
The AFS Narrative annual training initiative aims to develop UAE nationals’, and UAE residents’ skills in filmmaking. The winner receives an internship opportunity in a national or international production.
In order to tackle the biggest barrier to entry – a lack of confidence among aspiring filmmakers – we created a campaign that educates budding filmmakers in little tricks of the trade that will improve their creations without having to worry about budget. The idea or story of the film is always first, but you don’t always need a big budget to achieve the desired special effect.
We demonstrated this idea with a series of ‘Film Hacks'. Armed with everyday objects, we want to show people how they can create a big budget special effect with the right techniques and ‘equipment’. Once they know it’s really that simple, we will not only give more people the confidence to enter, but hopefully raise the quality of entries.
AFS DOCUMENTARY
The new AFS Documentary course is focused on developing UAE nationals’ and UAE residents’ skills in documentary filmmaking. The winner receives an internship in the Documentary Department at Image Nation.
The power of documentary filmmaking, lies in its ability to capture real lives and make the viewer connect with the real stories being told. There is a raw grittiness, a no thrills approach, to what is shown instead of the gloss and high production values often associated with other film mediums. This helps keep the audience focused on the real star of the film – the story itself.
Real stories rely solely on the strength of people, issues, struggles and ultimately life itself, to carry us through the documentary.